DJ Vinyl beat matching tutorial: Beat matching Rock, Punk and other less "exact" genres'

Some people have it easy,

Like Electronic EDM, OEDM and A-FUC-U D.J's for instance. The music they mix is "Uniform" (Nice way of saying redundant) to say the least. An aspiring D.J from a less "Color by numbers" (Not nice at all) school of music might think the beginning principals of D.J'ing don't apply to him, but they would be wrong.

Of he who is given much, much will be asked, and if you are reading this then the call has gone out to YOU to nut-up and get your beat-matching shiz together once and for all.

"But...But...they didn't record my favorite records to a click" you whimper? SILENCE! It is YOU who must become the click, and become it you shall.

I will now describe the steps necessary for you to beat match un-quantized music PAY ATTENTION.....


1.......Well, that actually WAS #1 Pay attention, you must categorize your BPMS  though itis in theory, possible to pitch down "Detroit Rock City" to match ther "BPM of "I love Rock N' Roll" I wouldn't advise you try it during a set, with vocals a stand out feature of rock you can't be dipping Paul Stanley into the Chipmunk on Qualudes territory necessary to match "Detroit Rock City" with "I love Rock n' Roll" you are going to have to know which songs are doable and which aren't, further more ,you will need to scope out sections in songs where a tempo transition can go undetected, so as not to be locked to a single BPM all night. For instance, At the end of the Sex Pistols "Problems" there is a retard (grow up) where Jonny Lydon repeats the word problems as the band grinds to a halt. This would be a perfect place for the opening drums of Twisted Sister's "We're not going to take it" to come in. You ride the pitch knob on the Pistols track and it is as if Lydon iis rapping over the T.S beat, The T.S song is actually a lot slower but no one would ever know it after you rescue them from rhythmless Kaross

2. Note sections when practicing that synch up the best. It may only be two or three bars, but this is your in! Don't be loosey goosey and think you'll amble into the mix 4 bars down the road, you may not be able to. So unlike other D.J's you will have to scour the beginnings and endings of tracks to discover the sweet spots where the unquantized audio synchs up with minimal pitch fader movement.

3. BYOK. That's bring your own kick drum. Have a drum machine of some sort be part of your rig, even if you only ever use the kick drum. Why? Because along with tempo fluctuations, there is a HUGE amount of disparity in how low-end has been mixed i rock over the years. In the 70's a kick drum was something to be seen and not heard, whereas now, due to hip-hips influence, the kick is the almighty calling card of musical energy, a wimpy 70's kick coming in after a fat 90's 909 reinforced kick will kill you deader than Cobain. so have your kick on a fader with the tap tempo close at hand, faded it in for the beginning and end if not more. This way the musical energy expressed in the low end will not waver and you will not be a cause of shame to your family

No more than you already are anyway.

So there you have it, your three clear

directives to a fully beat-matched rock set.

In the mortal words of Nikki Sixx...Go Knock 'em Dead Kid!